Hello Stranger (ARC review)

thank you to st martins press for the eARC!

“Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life―placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition―the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls in love―not with one man but two. The timing couldn’t be worse.

Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to have it all.”

I had such a fun time reading Center’s last book, The Bodyguard, and I went in with high hopes for this one, not knowing what it was about. I would say this was a 2.5/5 for me. I appreciated the prosopagnosia rep and learning about it, and seeing how Sadie works on her portraits with the condition was super interesting. Unfortunately, the characters seemed unrealistic. Sadie’s narration felt like a much younger character than she is in the story, and I had a hard time believing the behaviors of some of the other characters. I wasn’t very attached to the characters or the plot at the end, which is why this was a lower-rated book for me. But seeing the world through Sadie’s eyes was interesting and could make the read worth your while!

𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠: 𝙷𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛
𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝟻 ⭐️
🎨
First of all, the author's note was incredible. I love the way she represented romance novels. I could feel myself stirring spaghetti sauce with a HR novel in hand right along with her. With that said, this book was marvelous! Another 5 star from me. I love the way she brings characters through hard times, always keeping hope while creating an award-winning romance anybody could dream to have. We follow a portrait artist who is a top-ten finalist in an elite competition. Unfortunately, she is forced to undergo brain surgery that alters her perception of recognizing faces. During this tragic time, she is pushed to overcome the hardest parts of her life. Things from her past pop up while new things start to blossom. There is romance, intrigue, and a dollop of hope that will have you tearing up and laughing with every page. I love Center’s writing. It’s just the medicine you need for a happy pick me up. I’ve loved everything I’ve read from this author and will always be on the lookout for all she writes. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for allowing me to review this advanced reader copy.

Cute story with a fun premise, I read it in one night! This book was really enjoyable and fun to read!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

I really like how Katherine Center just sucks you into her stories. The protagonist is flawed and so relatable and funny. I loved this book!

This was my first read by this author and although it was clear where the puzzle pieces of this story would go, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Such a feel good, well researched book. I particularly like when uncommon disorders are represented because it's not just a great story but educational as well.

Special thanks to #NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

This book was super unique. Katherine really knows how to draw you into a story. I didn’t know there was a brain injury you could get that makes you not able to recognize faces. That was super interesting to learn about. And the fact Sadie dumped on guy to date the same guy and not know it was a funny twist. And the authors note was amazing.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

Book Review:

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center not only met my expectations, but EXCEEDED them. By reading the synopsis alone, I thought this was going to be a whirlwind love triangle romance with obstacles upon obstacles that we would see our heroine go through, however, it was so much more than that.

The story follows Sadie Montgomery, a struggling artist who finally caught her big break by placing as a finalist in a portrait competition. But, in the blink of an eye, she is waking up in the hospital and diagnosed with a condition (most likely temporary) known as face blindness. She can see everything and anything, except when it comes to someone’s face - all she sees is a jumbled mess. As she navigates how to continue with the competition while having this condition, her life gets even more complicated when she starts to fall for two different men.

This book was a rollercoaster that I honestly never wanted to get off of. It had me laughing throughout and SCREAMING. There were many moments that took me by surprise, and the ending was EVERYTHING. It was honestly hard for me to predict what was going on, but I love when books keep me guessing! Overall, I read this in one sitting, and I most definitely will do it again.

Hello Stranger comes out on July 11, 2023! Mark your calendars and happy reading!

Face blindness is not something that is often talked about anywhere. This is a refreshing plot for a meet-cute story. Sadie is a very likable character that is vicious. The plot is predictable but not at all off-putting. It's just a matter of Sadie's situation that she couldn't put things together. The ending was half done. I wished that with everything else solved, Sadie's painting career was not touched upon. It was a delightful read.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The author did a fantastic job of describing what face blindness is and how it affects a person. I thought the decision to have Sadie be a portrait artist was a great one. And I really did enjoy the romance parts of this book. However, this book contains what is probably the trope I dislike most - Miscommunication (with a capital "M") - which I probably should have anticipated, given the subject matter. That's not something I can really deduct "points" for though, because even though I really don't like that trope, the whole thing was written really, really well. All in all, a treat to read!

Read if you like: friends to lovers, character-driven stories.
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Overall I did like this book, and I think the story was really good! The romance aspect of the book was pretty small and once I started looking at this book as an exploration of Sadie dealing with some heavy medical stuff, I really fell in love with it.
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After experiencing a seizure, Sadie undergoes brain surgery and as a result, she suffers from face blindness. This was really interesting to read about how Sadie navigated this, and I loved her witty dialogue. Honestly, she was a great character, I just think that if you want romance to be the main part you might be surprised!

Katherine Center writes such adorable romance books. "Hello Stranger" is no exception. Definitely recommend giving it a read if you are looking for a cute fluffy romance.

THANK YOU @katherinecenter for this beautiful story that I legit could NOT put down!

This book in a nutshell…Sadie is a struggling artist who lands a big break in an upcoming art competition. A much needed but unexpected surgery puts her in a situation that hinders her ability to paint the portrait she’s always wanted to….and argh!! I want to say more, but feel like I can’t!

What CAN I say? I did not want this book to end! I adored who Sadie is, I laughed in situations she was put into, and although I knew exactly where the storyline was headed, it did not deter from enjoying the ride! I knew but Sadie did not, and I was excited to see the end result! I mean, the hot and poised veterinarian, or the dark, but maybe handsome womanizer that lives in her building and is turning into the sweetest and most thoughtful man who Sadie forms an unlikely friendship with? Sadie is truly put in a tough position to say the least!

👎🏼 I did not enjoy Sadie’s stepsister, she was an over-the-top character for my taste and I found myself skimming through sections with her in it, just because it made my blood boil 🫣

Overall, this book was such a breath of fresh air in amongst my dark thriller reads! Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced read copy of this book!

Overall, I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. (Rounded up to five)

Wow, Katherine Center... you've done it again! After finally taking the plunge on this author with The Bodyguard, I was so excited to see what she came up with next with Hello Stranger! 💙

I always feel like I learn something when I read Katherine's stories and I love reading her author notes that demonstrate just how much research goes into making her books. This particular story focuses on facial blindness and its impacts to our main character, Sadie. This played a huge role in Alice Feeney's Rock, Paper, Scissors a few years back so I was excited to see how it would play out in a romance book. Spoiler alert: I loved it.

Sadie had so many cute and funny one liners in her mind as she described her future husband, aka the veterinarian down the street from her apartment. I loved how despite the loss of seeing faces due to her brain surgery, Sadie tried to make the best of her predicament. With an evil stepsister too in the mix, she had a lot she could be down about, but I loved seeing how she grew to accept the changes in her life and at least attempted to make the most of them.

I felt bamboozled in the best way by the twist near the end and I loved how Abby (abbysbookadventure) and I figured it out at the same time during our buddy read journey. While I can't give away too much because of spoiler purposes, what Katherine did with the plot twist made for a hilarious and charming conclusion to this story. What feels like false advertising turns out to be everything you hope for in a cheerful rom-com!

There's still something super magical about The Bodyguard that maintains its top spot by Katherine but I think this will now be a close second. I have a few more of her backlist books to go through, but from what I've seen, she's only getting better with her more recent work that it makes me excited to see what she creates in the future!

I love everything Katherine Center writes and Hello Stranger is no exception. I appreciate how she researches and normalizes unique medical or life situations for her characters. They are flawed and struggling, loyal and likable. Their love interests are kind and swoony, yet human, with their own messes to figure out. I always fall in love with these characters, as I did with Sadie from the very first chapter. In this story Sadie, a struggling portrait artist, is involved in an accident and becomes afflicted with face blindness. Every face she looks at is now a mixed up mess. And she paints faces for a living. And she has major family issues. And her bestie leaves town. And she is mom to her beloved dog Peanut. And she meets 2 delightful men. How in the world will Sadie find the strength and support to face these challenges head on? If she does, however, she might come out the other side with her life in beautiful, brilliant, razor-sharp focus. And with a love she never saw coming. This novel is gorgeous and I highly recommend it with all the stars!

Sadie is celebrating making the finals for an important art contest when her world changes. A Good Samaritan pushes her out of the way of danger, which results in a hospital visit. She learns she needs brain surgery. During recovery, she discovers she can no longer see faces, something that is a must for a portrait artists. Her pup is at the new vet which she's in recovery. When Sadie picks up her pu, she discovers her future husband, the new veterinarian. However, after being stood up on their first date, she finds companionship and strength from an unlikely source. She's not sure if she should take a chance on this new guy and give up her dream husband. Adventure along with Sadies as she recovers and discovers a few of life's most important lessons!

I loved this book so much. I thought it was cute but also the ending made me cry and so automatically one of the best books I’ve read this year.

It was definitely dramatic and parts of it didn’t make sense but at its core this book is funny and heartfelt and just overall charming. I was genuinely smiling while reading this. I really liked Sadie as a character and felt like although she was a lil dumb at times I was rooting for her throughout.

And although I could see the twist coming from early on in the book it was still satisfying to see the characters resolve their issues lol. Katherine Center is such a good writer and you should all read The Bodyguard by her and Hello Stranger when it comes out on July 11th!

The book is actually a cute romantic comedy about a woman who cannot quite see what or who is right in front of her. On the day, Sadie learns that she is a finalist in a prestigious portrait painting competition, she has a seizure while crossing the street that lands her in the hospital. A good samaritan saved her from serious injury, but the news is bad: she needs brain surgery. She also has only six weeks to paint the best portrait of her life for the competition. She reluctantly agrees to the surgery. When she wakes up, she discovers that she cannot recognize faces anymore including the cute new guy in her building who might be a sexy lothario and the handsome vet at the new clinic.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s my favorite book of the year so far.

The writing and the research that went into writing this novel is amazing. I love how the author took face blindness and incorporated into this story. I love learning about new things when I read and this condition was definitely new for me. I had never heard about it prior to reading Hello Stranger.

And could the characters in this book be any more likable? Probably not! Well, except for Parker, I cringed every time Sadie had to deal with her. But overall this book had so many wonderful things about it. “Joe” & Sadie, the family connection that grew, a best friend, and so many overall good human beings! There wasn’t one thing I disliked about this book. Once I picked it up I didn’t want to put it down, but as I grew closer to it ending I wanted to slow it down so I didn’t finish it too soon.

I’m looking forward to reading more books by Katherine Center because this book blew me away!

***Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

I received an advance digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and Net Galley.com. Thanks to Katherine Center and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ms. Center has an amazing ability to create fictional worlds and people that feel very real and relatable. Characters, like Sadie, who you want to cheer for and cry with. Sadie faces the impossible with a sudden brain injury that leaves her unable to comprehend faces. The worst case scenario for Sadie, who happens to be a portrait artist who is on the cusp of what could be her biggest career break. Add in a nonexistent relationship with her father, a somewhat evil stepmother and a really super evil step sister, Sadie has got her hands full navigating this new reality. Thankfully, she's got her best friend, her dog and her human best friend and the guy that may or may not be the love of her life, if only she could see his face.

To say that I am a Katherine Center fan girl is a bit of an understatement, but even still, I would recommend this book to everyone within shouting distance and further. Add this to your TBR, you won't want to miss it!

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended reading.

I thought the book was cute. I liked Sadie and Joe. It did feel pretty rushed at the end and I guessed the twist. But it was a very unique story that I enjoyed. Thank you for allowing me to read an ARC of this!